SEARCH FOR AVIATORS PROVES FUTILE

Grey River Argus, 16 January 1928, Page 5

SEARCH FOR AVIATORS PROVES FUTILE

TRAGIC SEQUEL TO TASMAN VENTURE FEARED. REPORTS OF FIRE SIGNALS UNFOUNDED. Heavy Sea Precludes Possibility of Wreckage Floating.

SUPPOSED SMOKE SIGNALS. . PROBABLY A SCRUB FIRE. WELLINGTON. January 14. Further reports re the supposed k smoke signals go to show that it was Apro/bably a scrub fire. Similar smoke seen two days ago. The police in j Hb district have taken no further ac-1 parties are out in that direction, and would have seen the smoke, and no doubt reported same, if necessary. Object Like a Wrecked Plane RUMOUR UNFOUNDED. WELLINGTON, January 14. The Secretary of the P. and T. Department has received the following statement by telephone from Mr G. S. Phillips, forest ranger, Kaitoke: “I have to report that I have seen what I consider might be the remains of the airship on the slopes of Omega, close to 'Greytown. Otaki. The track is two-thirds of the way up from the Tauherenikau River swing bridge. One object has the appearance of a tent two feet wide by four feet high, while another has the appearance of a grey white flat-looking object. The distance is about ten miles air line, and the bearings are from the Bayonet Trig, roughly ten degrees east of north. This is in line with Otaki and Featherston. Smoke was observed in the green bush between the headmaters of the Kerekere and Snowy Creek, at 4 p.m. on January 13, for half-an-hour. Kerekere is on the other side of the Hutt River, from Kaitoke.” I have ascertained that Phillips discerned the objects through a pair of powerful glasses. The mountains, I understand, are now enveloped in fog. —Postmaster, Featherston. LATER. There is nothing to report concerning the missing airmen. The weather conditions are making the search impossible, the high places being completely enveloped in mist. It is windy, and there has been rain. The rumour that a r *ane was seen off the Otaki district on the hillside is now discovered to be unfounded. Fire on Ruahine Ranges. SEARCHERS INVESTIGAIxNG. . WELLINGTON, January 14. | ’ The Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department has received the following additional messages relative to reports concerning the missing aviators:— 7.50, Saturday evening.—From Postmaster, Shannons: 4 1 Police interviewed Robbie, who states that the smoke was from a scrub fire on his property, there being no other fire in his locality.” 10.30 Sunday morning—from Postmaster, Dannevirke: “Police state that late last night a resident of Dannevirke reported that he and his family saw smoke on the Ruahine Ranges in the direction of Ruaroa, at six o’clock on Wednesday morning, which appeared to be signals. He did not report earlier as he expected it to be ridiculed. This morning several residents of Ruaroa report that they can discern some object on the ranges which is unfamiliar. A party of six or seven set i out at 10 a.m. to investigate.” 10.30, Sunday morning—from Chief Postmaster, Nelson: “Collingwood reports last night, re fire investigations, show that it has no connection with the missing aeroplane.” NOT SEEN BY KAIRANGA. AUCKLAND, January 15. Nothing has been seen or heard of the missing aeroplane by the officers and crew of tho Union Company’s steamer Kairanga, which reached Auckland from Melbourne on Saturday morning. MIST ON RANGES. NULLIFIES SEARCHERS’ EFFORTS MASTERTON, January 15. Bad weather ‘on the Tararuas drove out search parties from Masterton, who have been looking for any trace of the missing airmen. The range from the Mitre to Holdsworth, has been enveloped in a heavy cloud bank since Friday, and visibility is poor and completely negatived the work of the searchers.

Patrol of West Coast.

BUCKLEY TO CARRY OUT OPERATIONS. BLENHEIM, January 14. Captain Buckley was advised by \ Wellington to-day to proceed with a ■L plane patrol on the West Coast from X Farewell Spit to Karamea, but heavy ~ southerly weather now prevails and M nothing can be done. Tho airmen can > take off from Blenheim, but think the / clouds are massed practically all over the territory to be covered, render, ing any flight useless. Everything was ready for the flight this morning.

Special Radio Signals. DEPARTMENT DENIES RECEPTION OF CODE. WELLINGTON, January 14. A telegram from Sydney yesterday said a statement had been made there

that the call signs and interpretation codes, to be used in the wireless apparatus installed on the aeroplane, were wired to the Government wireless station at Wellington, and to ships within wireless distance of Sydney and Wellington. This statement was referred to the Secretary of the General Post Office, who gives it a specific denial. No in. formation was received by the Department in regard to any special code signals, or interpretation of code signals to be used on the aeroplane’s wireless apparatus. The only arrangement with the Department was that the aeroplane should send a continuous whine for five minutes at each quarter of th.’ hour. This apparently was not done, as the whin • received was over longer periods and at irregular times. Naval Search Abandoned. “HEAVY SEAS WOULD HAVE DESTROYED WRECKAGE.” WELLINGTON January 15. The Minister of Defence (Hon. F. Rolleston) received a message from Commodore Swabey on Saturday night, that an area of 2400 square miles had been searched by the three ships—Dunedin. Diomede and Toia —without the discovery of any trace of the missing men or their aeroplane.

A later message stated that a heavy sea was running, which would effectively destroy, before daylight on Sunday, any wreckage that might still be afloat, and that an yfurther search at sea was considered useless, in view of this. The Minister agreed that the war-.-|iips should return to Auckland, and that the Toia should return to Wellington. The Last Signals. ''■"UP A TOR SATISFIED HE HEARD THE PLANE. CHRISTCHURCH. January 14. " .1. Baggs, who was detailed by th Telegraph Department to pick up sig. nals from the airmen, says he has no doubt that the signals received from 5.12 p.m. to 5.22 p.m. on the day of the flight were from the plane. They were first picked up on a wave length of 33.35 metres. No commercial stations were sending on that wave length at that time.